Every Notable ‘Goodfellas’ Actor Who Died

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Many of the actors from the iconic film ‘Goodfellas‘ have sadly passed away. This tribute highlights those notable cast members, sharing information about their roles in the movie, as well as a brief look at their lives and careers, for fans who wish to remember them.

Ray Liotta

Ray Liotta, known for his role as Henry Hill in the iconic mob film and for narrating the story, passed away on May 26, 2022, in the Dominican Republic at the age of 67. He was on location filming a new movie at the time. His death was attributed to heart disease. Liotta had a long and successful career, including memorable performances in films like ‘Field of Dreams’ and, more recently, ‘Black Bird’.

Paul Sorvino

Paul Sorvino, famous for playing the calm and powerful Paulie Cicero, passed away on July 25, 2022, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 83 years old and died of natural causes. Throughout his extensive career, Sorvino acted in movies, TV shows like ‘Law & Order’, and on stage.

Frank Vincent

Frank Vincent was an actor best known for playing Billy Batts in ‘Goodfellas,’ a role that sets off a key violent event in the film. He passed away on September 13, 2017, in New Jersey, at the age of 80, due to complications after heart surgery. Throughout his career, Vincent often worked with director Martin Scorsese and later gained recognition for his role as Phil Leotardo on ‘The Sopranos.’ He also lent his voice to characters in the popular ‘Grand Theft Auto’ video game series.

Tony Sirico

Tony Sirico, best known for playing Paulie Walnuts in ‘The Sopranos’ and appearing as Tony Stacks in the Bamboo Lounge scenes of ‘Goodfellas’, passed away on July 8, 2022, at the age of 79 in Florida. He had been living with dementia in his later years.

Chuck Low

Chuck Low, best known for playing the memorable wig shop owner Morrie Kessler in a popular ad campaign, passed away on September 18, 2017, in Allendale, New Jersey. He was 89 years old. Before becoming an actor, Low worked in real estate and shared a long friendship with Robert De Niro. He also appeared in films like ‘The King of Comedy’ and ‘Sleepers’.

Frank DiLeo

Frank DiLeo, who played Tuddy Cicero – Paulie’s brother and a key figure in the mob’s operations – passed away on August 24, 2011, in Ohio at the age of 63. While well-known in the music industry as Michael Jackson’s manager, DiLeo also created a lasting impression as a member of the inner circle in the film ‘Goodfellas’.

Tony Lip

Frank Vallelonga, known professionally as Tony Lip, was an actor who often played tough guys. He appeared as Frankie The Wop in scenes for the movie ‘Copacabana’ and other neighborhood settings. He’s also remembered for his role as Carmine Lupertazzi on ‘The Sopranos’. Frank passed away on January 4, 2013, in Teaneck, New Jersey, at the age of 82. His life served as the basis for the award-winning film ‘Green Book’, which was written by his son, Nick Vallelonga.

Gina Mastrogiacomo

Gina Mastrogiacomo, who played Henry’s mistress Janice Rossi—a key location in the story—passed away on May 2, 2001, in California at the age of 39 from a heart infection. She had a career in film and television throughout the 1990s, and is fondly remembered for her lively performance in the movie ‘Goodfellas’.

Paul Herman

Paul Herman, who played the character Dealer in later scenes of the show ‘Henry’, passed away on March 29, 2022, in New York City at the age of 76. He had a long and successful career working with acclaimed directors like Martin Scorsese, appearing in films such as ‘The Irishman’ and ‘American Hustle’. He was also well-known for his role as Beansie Gaeta on the popular television series ‘The Sopranos’.

Frank Adonis

Frank Adonis, who played Anthony Stabile in the movie about the Lufthansa heist aftermath, passed away on December 26, 2018, in Las Vegas at the age of 83 after a prolonged illness. He was a frequent collaborator with director Martin Scorsese, appearing in films like ‘Raging Bull,’ and continued to act in both movies and TV shows until the 2000s.

Catherine Scorsese

Catherine Scorsese, mother of director Martin Scorsese, famously played Tommy’s mother in the memorable dinner scene in ‘Goodfellas’. She passed away in New York City on January 6, 1997, at the age of 84. Often appearing in small roles in her son’s films, she was also a published cookbook author. The ‘Goodfellas’ scene was mostly unscripted and quickly became popular with fans.

Charles Scorsese

Charles Scorsese, who played Vinnie, was known for his scenes cooking in prison and being part of Paulie’s group. He passed away in New York City on August 23, 1993, at the age of 80. Similar to his wife, he frequently appeared in minor roles in films directed by his son, Martin Scorsese. His contributions helped create a realistic family dynamic within those films.

Henny Youngman

Okay, so seeing Henny Youngman pop up as himself in the Copacabana scene was a real treat – a little moment of classic comedy! It’s sadly poignant now knowing he passed away on February 24th, 1998, in New York City at the age of 91, due to pneumonia. The guy *was* the King of the One-Liners, and had been killing it on stage and TV for decades. That little cameo really nailed the vibe of the nightclub scene the movie was going for, a perfect snapshot of the time.

Jerry Vale

Singer Jerry Vale makes a cameo appearance as himself in the nightclub scenes. He passed away on May 18, 2014, in Palm Desert, California, at the age of 83. A well-known singer in the 1950s and 60s, his music appears in several of Martin Scorsese’s films, and he had a similar role in ‘Casino’.

Suzanne Shepherd

I was so sad to hear about Suzanne Shepherd passing away on November 17th at 89. I’ll always remember her as Karen’s mom in that movie – her house felt like such a comforting place. She had a long and impressive career, not just acting in films and TV, but also teaching and directing. And of course, many of us recognized her later as Mary DeAngelis on ‘The Sopranos’! She was a really talented woman and will be missed.

Frank Pellegrino

Frank Pellegrino, who played Johnny Dio and had connections to characters like Paulie and Jimmy, passed away in Manhattan on January 31, 2017, at the age of 72, after fighting lung cancer. Besides acting, he was a co-owner of the famous Rao’s restaurant in Harlem and wrote cookbooks featuring its recipes. He’s also remembered for his role as FBI Chief Frank Cubitoso in ‘The Sopranos’.

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2025-10-18 00:46